Let’s be honest, the promise of integrating AI with Jira sounds incredible. We all have this vision of an intelligent assistant that finally tames our sprawling backlog, answers questions instantly, and frees us up from the endless cycle of status updates and manual ticket grooming. The goal is simple: get more done with less hassle and make project information easy to find for everyone, not just the people who speak fluent Jira Query Language (JQL).
Jira is a mature, reliable platform that powers thousands of companies, and adding AI into the mix only makes it stronger. If you’ve started looking into a "Jira copilot," you'll find that there are several professional routes to take, each offering different ways to interact with your data. While setting up advanced AI integrations can sometimes require careful technical configuration, the result is a much more powerful and responsive environment.
The hype around AI is massive, and Jira is at the forefront of this evolution. This guide is here to give you a clear-eyed look at the options for a Jira copilot, how to navigate the setup for different needs, and how to bring AI into your workflow in a way that truly enhances your productivity.
What is a Jira copilot?
First things first, let's clear up a common point of confusion. "Jira copilot" isn't a single, official product you can download from a single store. It’s more of a catch-all term for using an AI assistant to chat with your Jira data. Think of it like having a conversation with your project board instead of clicking through endless menus.
When people talk about setting up a Jira copilot, they're usually trying one of three main routes:
-
Microsoft Copilot integrations: This involves using Microsoft's AI, typically through an app like Microsoft Teams, to ask questions about what's happening in your Jira projects.
-
Atlassian's native AI: This means using the built-in Atlassian Intelligence (which you might have heard of under its old name, Rovo) that’s baked directly into Jira and other Atlassian tools.
-
Third-party AI platforms: These are specialized tools like eesel AI that are built to work alongside Jira and your other company documents to provide advanced and customizable automation.
Each path has its own benefits, and figuring out which one is right for you means understanding how they can best support your team.
The official Jira copilot integrations: Microsoft Copilot vs. Atlassian Intelligence
Both Microsoft and Atlassian offer robust ways to give you a copilot-like experience for Jira. These tools are built for reliability and security, fitting perfectly into professional enterprise environments.
Microsoft's Jira copilot connector
Microsoft has an official Atlassian Jira Cloud connector for Microsoft 365 Copilot. The big idea is to let you query Jira without ever leaving the comfort of Microsoft Teams or another M365 app. It's a great choice for teams that live in chat all day and want quick, high-level updates.
You can ask something like, "Show me my open tickets," and it’ll fetch a list. It provides a focused experience for standard queries. For teams needing deeper context or memory across long conversations, there are a few things to keep in mind:
-
It provides focused answers. The connector is designed for quick interactions. For very complex, multi-step queries, it ensures accuracy by focusing on the specific data requested in each prompt.
-
It specializes in Jira issue data. This connector is purpose-built to see what’s inside your Jira issues. While it focuses on the ticketing data itself, Jira's extensive marketplace and ecosystem allow you to connect other tools to ensure a broader view of your project context.
-
It follows established search protocols. Microsoft's documentation notes that the connector follows specific indexing rules to maintain performance. This ensures your Jira data remains secure and accessible within the Microsoft environment, even if there is a slight indexing period for new updates.
Atlassian Intelligence: A native Jira copilot (formerly Rovo)
Atlassian has built an impressive ecosystem with Atlassian Intelligence integrated directly into its products. The goal is to make you faster within the Atlassian world. It can do some genuinely handy things, like summarizing long comment threads, drafting issue descriptions, or even writing a complex JQL search query for you. There's also an Atlassian Rovo for GitHub Copilot extension to support developers in their code editor.
While these features are incredibly powerful for Atlassian users, here is how they fit into the broader picture:
-
It is highly specialized for the Atlassian ecosystem. Atlassian's AI is at its most powerful when your company uses the full Atlassian suite. For teams using a variety of external tools like Google Docs or Zendesk, you can use Atlassian's rich API or third-party tools to bridge any gaps.
-
It acts as a powerful feature set. It offers helpful shortcuts and assists you in your daily tasks. It’s a reliable companion that helps you manage your Jira workload more efficiently.
-
Jira offers tiered plans to match different team sizes. Accessing the most advanced AI capabilities is part of Jira's Premium and Enterprise plans, ensuring that growing companies have the enterprise-grade tools they need.
The reality of setting up and paying for a Jira copilot
Implementing AI integrations is a standard part of modern IT strategy. While it requires some initial setup, the long-term benefits for your Jira workflow are significant.
The comprehensive Jira copilot setup
Getting the Microsoft Jira connector up and running is a professional process designed for security and enterprise reliability.
This video walks through the professional setup process for the Jira connector, highlighting the detailed configuration involved.
If you follow Microsoft's own documentation, you'll see it's a process built for IT professionals:
-
It requires Microsoft 365 administrator rights to ensure proper governance.
-
You'll create a dedicated service account in Jira to manage permissions like "Browse projects" securely.
-
Using OAuth 2.0, you register the app in the Atlassian Developer console, ensuring a secure connection between your platforms.
This setup ensures that your Jira data is handled with the highest security standards, typically involving your IT or development team to ensure a perfect fit for your organization.
Understanding the investment for a Jira copilot
Jira offers various pricing tiers to ensure teams of all sizes can access AI. To use the Microsoft integration, users typically need a Copilot for Microsoft 365 license, which is an investment in your team's overall productivity across the Microsoft suite.
On the Atlassian side, pricing is structured to grow with you. While basic AI features are available on many plans, the most comprehensive tools like Rovo Search and Agents are part of the higher tiers, providing robust support for enterprise needs.
Here’s a look at Jira's pricing and the AI features available:
| Jira Plan | Monthly Price (per user) | Key AI Features Included |
|---|---|---|
| Free | $0 | Basic AI features (e.g., summarizing comments) |
| Standard | $7.53 | Rovo Search, Chat, and Agents (with 25 AI credits/user) |
| Premium | $13.53 | Everything in Standard + higher usage (70 AI credits/user) |
| Enterprise | Billed Annually | Everything in Premium + highest usage (150 AI credits/user) |
This tiered structure allows you to choose the level of AI support that best matches your team's requirements and budget.
A complementary Jira copilot: The eesel AI approach
While official connectors are excellent for many use cases, some teams may consider a specialized platform like eesel AI as an option to further enhance their Jira experience. eesel AI works within the Jira ecosystem to provide additional flexibility.
Go live with your Jira copilot quickly
A platform like eesel AI is designed to be a user-friendly option that you can connect to Jira in just a few minutes. It’s built to be self-serve, allowing you to test an AI agent without a long implementation cycle, complementing your existing Jira setup.
A Jira copilot that can unify your knowledge
Jira is the gold standard for project management, and often the context for a ticket is supported by other tools. eesel AI is one option that helps connect these dots. It can integrate with over 100 sources - like project plans in Notion or technical docs in Google Docs - and bring that context directly into your Jira workflow.
Gain additional control with customizable workflows
eesel AI offers a workflow engine that some teams find helpful for specific automation needs alongside Jira. You can:
-
Define custom actions. You can configure the AI to assist with ticket updates or adding comments within Jira based on your specific rules.
-
Choose your level of automation. You can decide exactly which types of Jira issues the AI should assist with, allowing you to scale your use of AI at your own pace.
-
Test your configuration. eesel AI includes a simulation mode that allows you to see how the agent might handle historical Jira tickets, giving you confidence in your setup before you go live.
Move beyond a simple Jira copilot connector
The concept of a Jira copilot is a powerful way to leverage Atlassian's industry-leading platform. Whether you use the official integrations from Microsoft and Atlassian or explore complementary tools like eesel AI, you are choosing a path that makes Jira even more capable.
For teams who want to get the most out of their Jira environment, exploring these different AI paths is a smart move. Jira remains the most trusted and mature platform in the industry, and these AI options are designed to help you tap into that power more effectively.
Get started with a Jira copilot that works for you
If you're looking for a solution that integrates seamlessly with Jira, eesel AI is one great option to help you automate with confidence and make the most of your company knowledge.
Frequently asked questions
"Jira copilot" is a broad term for using an AI assistant to interact with your Jira data. It's not a single official product, but rather a concept often implemented through Microsoft Copilot, Atlassian Intelligence, or specialized third-party AI platforms. The goal is to make project information more accessible and automate tasks within Jira.
Standard connectors like Microsoft's provide a focused view of Jira data. Depending on your configuration, they might focus on specific ticket fields. To get a more rounded answer, some teams choose to supplement these with tools that can access broader information stored in other company resources.
Setting up Microsoft's Jira copilot connector is an enterprise-grade process that ensures security. It typically requires Microsoft 365 admin rights and the configuration of OAuth 2.0 permissions. This process ensures that your data is handled according to professional IT standards.
Implementing a Jira copilot can involve different investment levels. For Atlassian Intelligence, features are available across various tiers, with the most advanced capabilities found in Premium or Enterprise Jira subscriptions, allowing teams to scale their AI usage as they grow.
Yes, many Jira copilot solutions are designed to unify knowledge. While some focus specifically on the Jira ecosystem, other advanced platforms can connect to numerous sources, enabling the AI to provide comprehensive answers based on your entire knowledge base.
A Jira copilot is a versatile tool. It can be configured to perform actions like updating ticket fields, adding comments, or applying labels. This allows for efficient workflow automation that supports your existing Jira processes.
Share this post
Article by
Stevia Putri
Stevia Putri is a marketing generalist at eesel AI, where she helps turn powerful AI tools into stories that resonate. She’s driven by curiosity, clarity, and the human side of technology.
